Leg assembly for paper pallet

ABSTRACT

A pallet includes a top plate and a leg assembly fixed below the top plate. The leg assembly includes a bottom plate fixed below the top plate. The bottom plate includes three receiving sections spaced from one another. Each receiving section includes two longitudinal sides and a bottom side. Three supporting blocks are mounted in each receiving section and spaced from one another. Each longitudinal side of each receiving section includes two transverse openings. Each transverse opening on each receiving section is located between two of the supporting blocks adjacent to each other.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 10/950,203 filed Sep. 24, 2004.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a pallet. In particular, the presentinvention relates to a paper pallet.

2. Description of the Related Art

Paper pallets are more widely used than conventional wooden pallets andmetal pallets, as the paper pallets are light, inexpensive, andrecyclable. FIG. 1 of the drawings illustrates a typical paper pallet 90comprising a top plate 91 and a plurality of legs 92 supporting the topplate 91. The top plate 91 is comprised of a plurality of sheets thatare made of corrugated paper or thick paper and that are bonded togetherto improve the strength of the paper pallet 90.

Two forks of a forklift are inserted into the spaces between the legs 92along a longitudinal direction for lifting the paper pallet 90. However,the forks of the forklift could not be inserted into the paper pallet 90along a transverse direction, causing limitation to operation of theforklift. To provide openings in the transverse direction of the paperpallet 90, each leg 92 is divided into a plurality of separate legunits, leading to a decrease in the strength of the legs and undesiredeasy disengagement of the legs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An objective of the present invention is to provide a pallet comprisinga leg assembly with improved strength.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a palletcomprising a leg assembly that allows insertion of the forks of aforklift along either a longitudinal direction or a transversedirection.

In accordance with the present invention, a pallet comprises a top plateand a leg assembly fixed below the top plate. The leg assembly comprisesa bottom plate fixed below the top plate. The bottom plate comprisesthree receiving sections spaced from one another. Each receiving sectionincludes two longitudinal sides and a bottom side. Three supportingblocks are mounted in each receiving section and spaced from oneanother. Each longitudinal side of each receiving section includes twotransverse openings. Each transverse opening on each receiving sectionis located between two of the supporting blocks adjacent to each other.

Preferably, a folded plate mounted in each receiving section and bondedbetween the bottom side of each receiving section and the supportingblocks.

Preferably, each of two outer ones of the receiving sections comprisesan extension for sealing a top of an associated one of the two outerones of the receiving sections.

Preferably, each longitudinal side of each receiving section comprisestwo reinforcing pieces. Each reinforcing piece has a side connected to abottom wall delimiting an associated one of the transverse openings.

Other objectives, advantages, and novel features of the invention willbecome more apparent from the following detailed description when takenin conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a conventional paper pallet.

FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of a pallet in accordance with thepresent invention.

FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view of the pallet in accordance with thepresent invention.

FIG. 4 is a top perspective view of a leg assembly of the pallet inaccordance with the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flattened view of a bottom plate of the leg assembly of thepallet in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a bottom perspective view of the bottom plate.

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 3, showing supporting blocks mounted inthe bottom plate.

FIG. 8 is a top perspective view illustrating a pallet with a modifiedembodiment of the leg assembly in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a bottom perspective view of the pallet in FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view illustrating a leg of the pallet in FIG.8.

FIG. 11 is a view illustrating a modified embodiment of the leg in FIG.10.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of a pallet in accordance with thepresent invention. The pallet comprises a top plate 10 and a legassembly fixed below the top plate 10. The top plate 10 is substantiallysquare or rectangular and may be formed by bonding a plurality of sheetsof corrugated paper or thick paper. Cargo or the like is placed on a topside of the top plate 10. The leg assembly is also made of corrugatedpaper or thick paper. It is, however, noted that the top plate 10 andthe leg assembly of the pallet can be made of any other suitablematerial.

Referring to FIGS. 2 through 4, the leg assembly comprises a bottomplate 20 and a plurality of supporting blocks 31, 32, and 33. The bottomplate 50 defines a plurality of compartments (not labeled) for receivingthe supporting blocks 31, 32, and 33. In the illustrated embodiment, thebottom plate 20 comprises three receiving sections 21, 22, and 23 spacedfrom one another by a longitudinal space (not labeled). Each receivingsection 21, 22, 23 includes two longitudinal sides 24 and a bottom side25. Three supporting blocks 31, 32, and 33 are mounted in each receivingsection 21, 22, 23 and spaced along a longitudinal direction, as shownin FIG. 7. Each supporting block 31, 32, 33 may include a plurality ofsheets of paper to improve the strength.

FIG. 5 illustrates a flattened view of the bottom plate 20. FIG. 6illustrates folding of the bottom plate 20. The bottom plate 20comprises folding lines (not labeled) to allow easy folding for formingthe receiving sections 21, 22, and 23. Further, each longitudinal side24 of each receiving section 21, 22, 23 is punched to form twotransverse openings 26. Preferably, each opening 26 is located betweentwo of the supporting blocks 31, 32, 33 adjacent to each other. Further,an extension 27 extends outward from the outermost longitudinal side 24of each of two outer ones of the receiving sections 21, 22. Thesupporting blocks 31, 32, 33 are bonded in place to provide a reliableleg assembly which is bonded to the top plate 10. The transverseopenings 26 in the respective longitudinal sides 24 of the respectivereceiving sections 21, 22, and 23 are aligned with each other, allowinginsertion of the forks (not shown) of a forklift (not shown) into thetransverse openings 26. The arrangement of the receiving sections 21,22, and 23 and the supporting blocks 31, 32, and 33 improves thestrength of the leg assembly.

As illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, each extension 27 is folded inward andbonded to seal a top of the associated receiving section 21, 22 and toimprove the strength of the leg assembly.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, two reinforcing piece 28 are obtained oneach longitudinal side 24 of each receiving section 21, 22, 23 after thepunching procedure, with each reinforcing piece 28 having a side stillconnected to the associated longitudinal side 24. One of the reinforcingpieces 28 is bonded to a bottom wall delimiting an associated transverseopening 26, and the other reinforcing piece 28 is bonded to thereinforcing piece 28, forming a reinforced structure, best shown inFIGS. 2 and 3.

FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate a modified embodiment of the invention, whereina folded plate 30 is mounted in each receiving section 21, 22, 23 andbonded between the bottom side 25 and each supporting block (nowdesigned by 310, 320, 330). As illustrated in FIG. 10, each folded plate30 is in the form of a plate that is folded, and the folded sections 36of the plate 30 are bonded together. And the supporting blocks 310, 320,330 are bonded on the folded plate 30, forming a leg. Reinforcing boards340 are mounted in each supporting block 310, 320, 330. FIG. 11illustrates an alternative embodiment, wherein a reinforcing plate 350formed by folding a paper board is mounted in each supporting block 310,320, 330.

It is noted that the pallet in FIGS. 8 and 9 may include the arrangementof the transverse openings 26 and the reinforcing pieces 28.

As apparent from the foregoing, the leg assembly of the pallet inaccordance with the present invention has improved strength and allowsinsertion of the forks of a forklift along either a longitudinaldirection or a transverse direction.

Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described,numerous modifications and variations are still possible withoutdeparting from the essence of the invention. The scope of the inventionis limited by the accompanying claims.

1. A pallet comprising: a top plate; and a leg assembly comprising abottom plate fixed below the top plate, the bottom plate comprisingthree receiving sections spaced from one another, each said receivingsection including two longitudinal sides and a bottom side, threesupporting blocks being mounted in each said receiving section andspaced from one another, each said longitudinal side of each saidreceiving section including two transverse openings, each saidtransverse opening on each said receiving section being located betweentwo of the supporting blocks adjacent to each other.
 2. The pallet asclaimed in claim 1, further comprising a folded plate mounted in eachsaid receiving section and bonded between the bottom side of each saidreceiving section and the supporting blocks.
 3. The pallet as claimed inclaim 1, with each of two outer ones of the receiving sectionscomprising an extension for sealing a top of an associated one of thetwo outer ones of the receiving sections.
 4. The pallet as claimed inclaim 1, with each said longitudinal side of each said receiving sectioncomprising two reinforcing pieces, each said reinforcing piece having aside connected to a bottom wall delimiting an associated one of thetransverse openings.
 5. The pallet as claimed in claim 2, with each saidlongitudinal side of each said receiving section comprising tworeinforcing pieces, each said reinforcing piece having a side connectedto a bottom wall delimiting an associated one of the transverseopenings.